SchrodingerZ writes: "The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is known for making odd scientific advances ranging from hypersonic unnamed rockets to bionic prosthetic limbs to insect-sized reconnaissance drones. But recently DARPA has made a interesting advancement in the field of fire suppression. Using two speakers arranged on either side of an open liquid fuel flame, an acoustic field was emitted and engulfed the fire. "The sound increases air velocity, which then thins the area of the flame where combustion occurs, known as the flame boundary." This make the flame weak and much easier to douse. Another wonderful thing about this, its not even that loud! DARPA began its testing in 2008, stating that despite extensive research in this area, there have been no new methods for extinguishing and/or manipulating fire in almost 50 years.” The agency plans to expand on this experiment and try to make it successful on a practical scale."Link to Original Source